An An-26 military transport aircraft crashed in Crimea after colliding with a cliff, killing 29 people. This was reported by Glavkom, citing Russian media.
Contact with the An-26 was lost on March 31 at 6:00 p.m. Moscow time during a routine flight over the peninsula. The Russian Ministry of Defense claims that the plane was not affected by external factors and was not attacked.
Search and rescue teams were dispatched to the crash site and soon located the crash site. According to reports from the scene, all 29 people on board were killed, including six crew members and 23 passengers.
The An-26 is a Soviet military transport aircraft with two turboprop engines, serving as the primary light transport aircraft in the Russian Armed Forces. Its design allows it to carry up to 5,500 kg of cargo, 30–40 paratroopers, or evacuate 24 wounded personnel on stretchers.
According to preliminary data from the Ministry of Defense, the crash was caused by a technical malfunction. A commission is currently working at the crash site to conduct an investigation.
As a reminder, an An-22 aircraft carrying seven people crashed earlier in Russia’s Ivanovo Region. The crash occurred in the Furmanovsky District.
